The council is investigating an offer from the Otago Regional Council to transfer into city council ownership a parcel of land in a disused quarry behind the parking area at the Glen.
The land could, when funding became available, be used for more parking and better amenities as part of general improvements to the area, including upgraded access to the riverside track and the gravel bank.
Outram Glen users have been appealing for improvements to the area for years, complaining about lack of parking, basic toilet facilities and rubbish.
Mosgiel-Taieri community board chairman Bill Feather said the board had received a strong directive from the community to push for improvements in the area.
"We've had, over the past summer, complaints about nuisance, broken glass and general untidiness, and that's a concern to us."
The Outram representative on the board, Barry Barbour, had also been proactive about bringing the issues to the board's attention, Mr Feather said.
What the improvements would be were "not even at the conceptual stage", but the board had asked the council to investigate a wide range of options.
Representatives of the parties with an interest in the area - the regional and city councils, the Department of Conservation and the community board - had already met and discussed who was responsible for what at the Glen.
The outcome was an offer to the city council from the regional council of a 1.2ha parcel of land in a disused quarry behind and bordering the existing parking area, minus the quarry rights and at no cost other than that of changing ownership.
The city council would have to pay for ongoing maintenance of the land, but having it in the area in the council's control would make things "tidier".
The community board envisaged the land could be used to increase car parking and other public amenities in the area, he said.
It was also keen to see improved access to the riverside track and the gravel bank at the Glen.
City council community and recreation services manager Mick Reece said a report would now be prepared for councillors on the land swap, indicating the practicalities and costs, including the cost of site maintenance and improvements, and priorities for improvements once funding was available.
The board also directed staff to investigate if it was possible to gain access to a grassed area at the entrance to the Glen, for picnicking.
That work would be "purely exploratory", as it was not clear who owned that land, Mr Feather said.
The area had historically been a picnic area and he understood there was a water wheel to the rear that had been used to produce electricity to power the original street lights in Outram, the first in New Zealand.
"The area is steeped in historical value, and not only that, it is grassed and sheltered. It would complement the riverside and public amenities in that area if we were to develop it, but we need to investigate more."
